Hi all
Some staff in Scotland have created a new Facebook group dedicated to building scale modellers and discussing ideas for cadets.
Keen to build a strong community with this across the Corps, so if you build kits and want to share your builds, and if you want to learn how to share this hobby with your cadets as a project, feel free to join!
Just search for CFAV Modelers and we’ll add you.
Cheers!
Don’t tell the Cmdt! He wants to bin off the topic.
Not heard that one!
What has been said?
Tell him is CAD modelling. That’ll probably be allowed
Mutterings that both it and air recce will no longer need supported for comps and dropped off the activity plan.
Probably because modelling along with Air Recce are no longer taught from a military standpoint but from a hobbyist. It’s good to know but doesn’t build up and transferable skills.
Modelling should have a bit of project management into it so for competitions you need to also provide a portfolio of your budget, timetabling, hours etc not just a pretty model.
Air recce is similar & needs to be taught from an intel analyst point of view looking at over heads, satellite imagery etc. Plane spotters monthly is good for those that like it but it doesn’t interest the wider cadets and can be quite dull for them to learn.
The commandant asked recently of what the point is of teaching air craft recognition when air craft have cameras to do that from 10miles away. He’s got a point.
Both are great topics & both should be kept - we just need to adapt the way we are teaching them otherwise they will become obsolete
I’m pretty passionate about air rec, so the suggestion of binning it is ridiculous to me.
Yes, there are neat intel solutions that can take pictures of assets. But learning to identify the asset is still an important skill!
As for modelling - I’ve always taught it as a project management and history learning activity. You learn the background to the subject, why it was important and relevant etc. binning that as an activity is short sighted - i understand why it’s been suggested, but on balance there is still good value in the activity.
I agree with you but unfortunately the case isn’t being made & the hobbyist style means both are being squeezed out particularly as the RAF has less & less aircraft types. In general this is not how both topics are being delivered.
As far as I can make out there is nothing supporting the potential development of intelligence officers with I think air recce being the closest. It is a key arm of military operations yet there is no training strand for us to promote interest.
If we can make the business case of retooling air recce we can then do something similar with modelling but it needs to deliver in the modern world & have a modern relevance.
A CI on one of my former Sqns was into all sorts of modelling, and even had a model railway at the Sqn - which is something I’d not seen on any other unit!
I’ll be quite honest that modelling and aircraft rec had never really interested me at all. But I would fight to keep it in the organisation. The idea of removing it seems silly. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but neither is AT. It’s there for those who want to do it.
I’ve had some quiet cadets who like to work on their own, or part of a small team and make models.
One would bring down his own kits and produce them with the younger cadets, taking about modelling skills, as well as the aircraft features, theory of flight, roles of the aircraft, history of flight, etc.
It might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I enjoyed it (I just don’t have the time at home… Or the space these days)
It’s important to offer a wide range of interesting activities to cadets and staff. Of course, if no one wants it or if there isn’t sufficient demand to justify maintaining it, then it has to go. My problem is with squadrons that only offer limited activities, e.g. OC’s pet hobbies. We must remember that cadets is a military-themed youth organisation, so military stuff (fieldcraft, military flying, shooting, drill & ceremonial, first aid with battlefield/air crash realism) should be given high priority than games, arts & crafts and cake decorating nights (yes, that stuff appears on training programmes).
I suppose the odd thing as a bit of diversion is fine, but we genuinely have to work hard to fit in all the mainstream activities, the classifications and the bits of PTS we can deliver, plus new things like the blue wings simulator sorties, but cake?
Mmmm it is cake time though now you mention it
Guilty as charged! We did a ‘virtual bake off’ via teams in the first lockdown. Microwave mug cakes - decorated. Sounds simple doesn’t it, some very interesting outcomes but for such a crazy idea, it was one of our most attended virtual nights and even the shyest Cadets were keen to get involved and show off their ‘creations’ - I’m just glad it was via Teams so no Staff were harmed in the tasting 
I also agree that air recce and modelling have a place in the training program, they are not everyone’s cup of tea but you could say that about most things the Corps offer. I have the subjects I really enjoy but I also ensure my Cadets have the opportunity to take part in everything and anything, and that includes air recce and modelling - although I’m hopeless at both.
Or how about it actually being models built by the cadets not a bunch of old farts who dont deliver anything except that once a year for Wing Field day!
You can always tell the cadet models from the staff ones.
I disagree with the stereo type as one year we had an excellent model by one of cadets who had put in a lot of serious hard work & stress only for others to turn round and say “you didn’t really do it - you can tell it was done by adult staff”. It just disheartened him that he didn’t get the wider recognition for what he had achieved.
However if you have to submit a portfolio with the project plan in & photos then that easily bypasses that side as the old farts like the model but not the paperwork. 